HEART HEALTH – Jersey City Mayor Jerramiah T. Healy and Ward A Councilman Michael Sottolano pose with city employees and members of the community during the kick-off of American Heart Month and National Wear Red Day for Women last Friday at a Heart Healthy Fair at City Hall. This event was in support of the American Heart Association’s Go Red For Women movement to raise awareness of the importance for women to make the choice to take charge of their heart health and reduce the risk of heart disease.

JERSEY CITY – Less than a week after a company intending to buy Jersey City's Christ Hospital withdrew their bid, the hospital's board of trustees have given authorization for a Chapter 11 reorganization, Christ Hospital announced Monday, Feb. 6.

In a statement released Monday night, hospital officials stated: “In order to maintain financial stability and to preserve its commitment to its patients, Christ Hospital has filed for Chapter 11 reorganization. This reorganization process will ensure that Christ Hospital will continue to serve the Hudson County community as an acute care facility.”

HPAE, activists from NJ Citizen action, and Save Christ Hospital have planned a press conference and rally outside Christ for Tuesday, Feb. 7 at 2 p.m. to call on the board of trustees to ensure the interests of the community are protected during the Chapter 11 reorganization and possible hospital sale to another buyer.

The rally will take place outside Christ Hospital, located at 176 Palisade Ave. in Jersey City.

The statement from Christ goes on to quote Christ Hospital President and CEO Peter Kelly, who said, “We will continue to provide state-of-the-art healthcare through our wide-range of medical services. Christ Hospital has been a central part of Hudson County for nearly 140 years and the residents of Hudson County should know that Christ Hospital will continue to fulfill its mission as a community healthcare provider.”

In response the announcement, Ann Twomey, president of the Health Professionals and Allied Employees (HPAE), the union that represents 400 Registered Nurses at Christ, said, “The deal to sell Christ Hospital to a California for-profit company under investigation, Prime Healthcare Services (PHS), was always a bad deal for our patients, community and staff, and it has now collapsed under the scrutiny of state government and community leaders. Christ Hospital CEO Peter Kelly failed to allow other bids, wasting time and now bringing our hospital to bankruptcy. Christ Hospital focused on pursuing this poorly-developed deal with PHS – demanding fast-track review and secrecy – while other bids might have been better and therefore successful. Contrary to what Mr. Kelly has stated, the choice was never between Prime and closure, and other bidders have now come forward. However, Christ Hospital has now declared bankruptcy. Though we would not have chosen this path for the hospital, bankruptcy court can provide protection for our hospital and its services during the next period of time, a structure and oversight that was clearly missing at the Christ Hospital management offices, and allow for consideration of all bids.”

Twomey added, “Christ Hospital board members also have an opportunity to get it right this time – to choose a bidder and financing that puts patients and community first.”

Despite the broad array of services offered at the hospital, it loses about $800,000 a month.

For more, see this weekend’s Jersey City Reporter and check for updates at hudsonreporter.com. – E. Assata Wright

Walter Barry, founder of Hoboken’s Applied Housing, passes away

HOBOKEN – Walter Barry, who founded the Applied Housing development company in 1970 with his son Joseph and built thousands of units of affordable housing in Hoboken and elsewhere in the state, passed away on Monday morning in his hundredth year.

Barry rebuilt housing in Hoboken throughout the 1970s and was among those given credit for the rebirth of the city. Later, the company constructed market-rate and luxury housing, including 333 River Street on the lower Hoboken waterfront, the Shipyard development on the upper waterfront, and properties in Jersey City including Port Liberte. Today, the company is run by Barry’s grandsons.

The family will have an open memorial service in his memory at 2 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 10, at Bernheim Apter Kreitzman, 68 Old Short Hills Road, Livingston, 07039.

HOBOKEN -- Representatives from Pearson, a major education textbook company, and Hoboken waterfront office building developer SJP Properties were expected to join Lt. Governor Kim Guadagno and Mayor Dawn Zimmer on Tuesday to make "a major announcement" at the Waterfront Corporate Center II (121 River St.) in Hoboken. Pearson is expected to become the anchor tenant for a new office building planned for the lot next to the W Hotel on River Street.

"I am thrilled that Pearson has chosen Hoboken to be its new home," said Assemblyman Ruben Ramos. "The opening of this facility will help keep hundreds of high-paying, steady jobs; jobs that we desperately need more of in this economy."

Ramos said that he was proud to sponsor legislation to create and expand the Urban Transit Hub Tax Credit, which offers tax credits for companies that choose to move to transportation friendly cities, like Newark or Hoboken.

The results of the press conference were not available at press time Tuesday, but check hudsonreporter.com for breaking news.

Breaking news is posted every day, all day long, at hudsonreporter.com

Did you know that new local news stories are posted continuously, every day, at hudsonreporter.com?

Go to the top of the site to see continuously updated news for your town and neighboring towns, with scoops and interesting features!

The top of the page contains breaking news, while the bottom contains the stories that appear in your weekly Sunday Reporter, and in the Reporters in neighboring towns each week.

Check hudsonreporter.com several times a day and don’t miss the news, or the discussions in the comments section!